Missouri's community colleges serve two major hospital markets — Kansas City and St. Louis — at affordable tuition. Metropolitan CC (KC), St. Louis CC, State Fair CC (Sedalia), and Ozarks Technical CC (Springfield) offer evening and flexible scheduling. SSM Health, BJC HealthCare, and HCA Midwest recruit from these programs. NLC compact state with dual-metro NLC border advantage.
🏫 Community College = Best Value🏥 Local Clinical Placement💰 From ~$5K✅ Accredited Programs
If you're researching LPN programs in Missouri, community colleges should be at the top of your list — and Missouri's dual-metro advantage is unique. Metropolitan Community College (MCC) serves the Kansas City metro with multiple campuses and evening scheduling. St. Louis Community College (STLCC) covers the state's largest city. State Fair Community College (Sedalia) and Ozarks Technical CC (Springfield) extend affordable options to central and southern Missouri. Both KC and St. Louis are top-50 US hospital markets, and with Missouri's NLC compact membership, your license also works across the border in Kansas (KC metro) and Illinois (St. Louis metro). SSM Health, BJC HealthCare (St. Louis), HCA Midwest (KC), and CoxHealth (Springfield) all recruit directly from community college nursing programs. Community college tuition runs $5,000–$10,000 while private programs charge $18,000–$30,000. No Missouri Board-approved LPN program finishes in under 10 months.
🔄 Need More Flexibility? Compare Online & Evening Programs
Community colleges are the best deal — but they often have waitlists, limited seats, and 1–2 start dates per year. If you need evening/weekend classes, multiple start dates, or online coursework with clinicals arranged near you, these accredited programs fill that gap. Sponsored listings — schools pay to appear.
Sponsored listings — schools pay to appear. By submitting, you agree to receive information from schools that match your interests.
~$6K
Avg. Program Cost
10–12
Months (Fastest)
$58K+
Avg. MO LPN Salary
NCLEX-PN
Licensure Exam
How Community College LPN Programs Work in Missouri
Missouri's community college LPN programs run 10–14 months depending on full-time or part-time enrollment. Here's what to expect:
Accelerated full-time: Classes and clinicals 4–5 days/week, 10–12 month completion
Hybrid/online theory: Study lectures at home, attend clinicals on set days — still 11–14 months
Evening/weekend tracks: Designed for working adults, typically 14–18 months
Community colleges in Missouri offer some of the most affordable paths — often under $8,000 total tuition for in-district students. Private nursing schools cost more but sometimes offer faster schedules and more flexible clinical placement.
Accredited LPN Schools in Missouri
All schools listed are accredited and approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing. Verify current enrollment status directly with each school.
Ozarks Technical CC
📍 Springfield
HybridCommunity College
Length: 12 monthsFormat: Online theory + local clinicalsCost: ~$5,800Clinical: Greene County
Metropolitan CC
📍 Kansas City
HybridCommunity College
Length: 12 monthsFormat: Online theory + local clinicalsCost: ~$5,600Clinical: KC metro facilities
State Fair CC
📍 Sedalia
HybridCommunity College
Length: 12 monthsFormat: Online theory + local clinicalsCost: ~$5,400Clinical: Pettis County
Missouri LPN Licensure Requirements
Requirement
Detail
Governing Body
Missouri State Board of Nursing
Program Accreditation
Must be state board-approved
Minimum Clinical Hours
400 hours
Licensure Exam
NCLEX-PN (Pearson VUE)
Background Check
Required prior to clinical placement
CPR Certification
Required before clinical start
Drug Screening
Required by most clinical partner facilities
Immunizations
Per program/facility requirements
🔄 Can't Get Into a Community College Program? Compare Alternatives
Waitlisted? Need evening classes or a different start date? These programs offer flexible schedules and online options with local clinicals. Sponsored listings.
Sponsored listings — schools pay to appear. By submitting, you agree to receive information from schools that match your interests.
LPN Salary in Missouri
Licensed Practical Nurses in Missouri earn an average of $58,900/year ($28.32/hour) according to the BLS. Salaries vary by city, experience, and work setting.
Kansas City: $62,400/year
St. Louis: $61,800/year
Top employers: Skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, hospitals, physician offices
Community colleges cost a fraction of private programs, deliver the same Board-approved curriculum and clinical hours, and often have equal or better NCLEX-PN pass rates. They also place you at local hospitals where you'll likely work after graduation. The only downside: waitlists and limited start dates. If you can get a seat, a community college is almost always the best choice.
The fastest accredited programs run about 10–12 months for full-time students. Some accelerated tracks at technical colleges can get close to 10 months, but you'll be in class and clinicals nearly every day. Part-time or hybrid programs typically take 14–18 months.
Community college programs often run $4,000–$12,000 for in-district students. Private and nationally accredited programs can range from $18,000–$35,000. Financial aid, grants, and employer tuition assistance may be available.
After graduating from an approved program and applying through the Missouri State Board of Nursing, you schedule your NCLEX-PN exam through Pearson VUE. Testing centers are located in major Missouri cities.
Hybrid programs that combine online theory with in-person clinicals are legitimate and approved by state boards. However, any program claiming to be 100% online with no clinical requirement is not accredited and will not qualify you for NCLEX-PN or licensure.
⚠️ Data Disclaimer: Salary figures, tuition costs, program lengths, and school information are gathered from publicly available sources and intended as general guidance. Program availability, accreditation, and tuition are subject to change — verify details with the school and Missouri State Board of Nursing before enrolling. This page may contain affiliate links.
🎓 Compare LPN Schools Near You
Sponsored listings — schools pay to appear. By submitting, you agree to receive information from schools that match your interests.
📋✨
Ready for the NCLEX-PN? Start Practicing Now
Free NCLEX-PN practice questions, study guides, and test-taking strategies. Plus grab our printable NCLEX-PN Study Planner to organize your prep week by week.